Catering sales kick off the New Year

Our Barometer of Trade (BoT) report for January is in and it looks like catering sales kick started the year at 16.48% up with Food Hall/Farm Shop sales close behind at 16.04% up. Clothing was also a good seller at 16.09% up.

Our member garden centres were full of customers enjoying their food whether in their food halls and farm shops, as well as restaurants throughout January, which is good to see. As well as stopping off to buy produce and for a bite to eat, shoppers also picked up plenty of houseplants as this was best performing traditional category during the month with sales up 11.09%.

January was a very wet month so it is not surprising to see other more traditional categories not performing as well as hoped. Outdoor plant sales were at -9.19%, seeds and bulbs were

-8.99% and garden sundries at -2.68%.

Furniture and barbecue sales were up 8.14% compared to the same month last year.

Gifts and Christmas items continued to perform well during the month as people took advantage of the January sales in order to stock up for next year or to simply just grab something at a bargain price. Gift sales were up 4.55% and Christmas sales were up 9.75%.

Sales in pets and aquatics departments were -2.87% and hard landscaping sales were at

-5.5%.

For the month of January the overall garden centre performance and Year to Date change was 5.79%.

Julian Winfield, who is the Chief Executive of Haskins Garden Centre and also our new Chairman, said: “Not that many years ago garden centres were quiet after Christmas, but now thanks to our restaurants our customers keep coming in even when the weather is not good. This helps keep our customers interested in what we have to offer.

“All the non-gardening departments have done reasonably well, some discounted old ranges but also in new product such as garden furniture. Those garden centres that quickly cleared up Christmas in early January look ready for spring sales.”

Bumper year of hand-outs from GCA Trust

The GCA Trust has just completed its best year ever of approving grants to students of horticulture. 

More than £10,000 has been awarded to 10 students studying on a wide range of courses including sustainable horticulture, RHS levels two and three, diplomas in garden design and a BSc in Horticulture. 

Sue Allen, Trust Chairman said: “Pershore, Capel Manor, Askham Bryan, Bridgend and Schumacher College Dartington were the colleges involved, ensuring that students across the country benefitted.

“At our recent Trust meeting we also sadly accepted the resignation of Jeffrey Bernhard as the longest standing and one of the original Trustees. He was instrumental in the creation of the Trust in 1987 and over the last 29 years has helped guide the Trust wisely, ensuring its healthy continuation.

“The newly appointed Trustees are Derek Bunker of Alton Garden Centre, Will Armitage, immediate past Chairman of GCA and Rik Tarbatt, who has been the Trust’s treasurer for many years.

“It is hoped that 2016 will continue to see deserving applications for grants, which can be the deciding factor when a student is faced with so many expenses, not least the high course fees. However, the Trust will be putting greater emphasis on courses specifically related to Horticulture rather than Garden Design in the future.

“Without the generous support of donors from within our industry the Trust will be unable to continue its work and we are urging industry members to consider making a donation or bequest to the GCA Trust. For further information contact Pat Adams at the GCA, who is the Trust Administrator, on 0118 930 8918 or email pat@gca.org.uk.”

The object of the Trust is to advance among the general public and, in particular among horticultural students, education in horticulture, and particularly garden centres, by the provision and administration of scholarships and bursaries, including prizes to foster such education. Its aim is to assist horticultural students to study, research into and gain experience of horticulture and landscaping.